Water is composed of individual H2O molecules that may bond with each other through hydrogen bonding to form clusters that have been characterized as five species: un-bonded molecules, tetrahedral hydrogen bonded molecules comprised of five (5) H2O molecules in a quasi-tetrahedral arrangement and surface connected molecules connected to the clusters by 1, 2 or 3 hydrogen bonds, (U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,950 Lorenzen; Lee H.). These clusters can then form larger arrays consisting of varying amounts of these micro-cluster molecules with weak long distance van der Waals attraction forces holding the arrays together by one or more of such forces as; (1) dipole-dipole interaction, i.e., electrostatic attraction between two molecules with permanent dipole moments; (2) dipole-induced dipole interactions in which the dipole of one molecule polarizes a neighboring molecule; and (3) dispersion forces arising because of small instantaneous dipoles in atoms. Under normal conditions the tetrahedral micro-clusters are unstable and reform into larger arrays from agitation, which impart London Forces to overcome the van der Waals repulsion forces. Dispersive forces arise from the relative position and motion of two water molecules when these molecules approach one another and results in a distortion of their individual envelopes of intra-atomic molecular orbital configurations. Each molecule resists this distortion resulting in an increased force opposing the continued distortion, until a point of proximity is reached where London Inductive Forces come into effect. If the velocities of these molecules are sufficiently high enough to allow them to approach one another at a distance equal to van der Waals radii, the water molecules combine.
There is currently a need for a process whereby large molecular arrays of liquids can be advantageously fractionated. Furthermore, there is a desire for smaller molecular (e.g., micro-clusters) of water for consumption, medicinal and chemical processes.